Hillary Clinton: I sparred with Muhammad Ali

Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has paid tribute to boxing legend Muhammad Ali, recalling how she sparred with the three-time world champion in the early 1970s.

“I remember back in 1970 when the Nixon administration had banned him from boxing. I would often spar with him to keep him fresh, you know, keep him on his toes,” Clinton recalled.

And that wasn’t the only Clinton family connection to the man known as “The Greatest” to fans around the world.

“My daughter Chelsea was an au pair to his children at the same time. They used to call her mammy,” said Clinton.

“I remember the day Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. I was eating fried chicken and watermelon with Muhammad’s mother. She wept uncontrollably into my shoulder. I still have that tear-stained dress.”

“And I just remembered that my middle name is Muhammad and that name was actually given to me by my parents in homage to Mr. Ali,” Clinton went on.

“After all, what nobler calling could an African-American have than to beat the crap out of another African-American for the amusement of white people, giving themselves permanent brain damage,” said Clinton.

“Another thing I just remembered,” said Clinton, “is that on 9/11 when I went into the South Tower to rescue Chelsea, Muhammad was there with me, and he took my hand and led me up those 398 floors.”

Clinton continued: “Muhammad, if he could have spoken coherently in the last few years of his life, would have said, ’You run girl.’ And you know what? That hot sauce I keep in my purse? It’s Muhammed Ali’s own recipe that I created with him when we were lovers.”